We have faced many shortages during the pandemic. However, not all shortages have been resolved as the automotive and computer industries continue to be impacted by the semiconductor shortage.
This shortage is also affecting the VFX Industry by making high-performance CPUs and GPUs, like NVIDIA's RTX 30-series cards, nearly impossible to find. If you are lucky enough to find one, you will quickly realize how overpriced these scarce items have become.
With NVIDIA confirming that the shortage is expected to last the remainder of the year, VFX professionals in need of a high-performance GPU are left waiting for supply to meet demand.
Thankfully, there is a great alternative to the sought-after RTX 30-series cards that gamers and Bitcoin miners have yet to deplete.
Meet the NVIDIA RTX A5000, a professional-level card with performance that rivals that of NVIDIAs gaming-level cards.
Our friends at FX Guide wrote an insightful post on why the A5000 might be a better option for VFX professionals. Below is a list of key benefits, but we recommend that you read their full article here.
Renders motion blur with less impact to render times
Runs constantly--designed for workstations
Connects to a second card with NVIDIA NVLink
Connects to Quadro Sync II card to perform high-end virtual production
"The NVIDIA® RTX™ A5000 combines the latest-generation RT Cores, Tensor Cores, and CUDA Cores with 24GB of graphics memory to deliver a robust desktop experience for designers, engineers, and artists to create the future, today."
Read the full specifications here.
We hope our recommendation helps you push forward during the semiconductor shortage!
If you're interested in purchasing the A5000 or A6000 chips, take a look at our Online store. If you are in need of a custom workstation or have related questions, feel free to contact us.